Ohio's commitment to student health and education took a pragmatic turn with Governor Mike DeWine's visit to Reynoldsburg High School's Livingston Campus, where he showcased the newly minted OhioSEE program—an initiative driving the integration of essential health services in school settings. Governor DeWine, alongside ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, underscored the significance of the Reynoldsburg City Schools' model, which facilitates both primary care and critical vision services directly on campus, as reported by the Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's official website.
"What Reynoldsburg City Schools has accomplished here is really phenomenal," Ohio Governor Mike DeWine emphasized, noting the direct benefit of students obtaining eye exams and glasses without sacrificing classroom time, Nationwide Children's has been pivotal since 2020 in Reynoldsburg, having served over 4,000 primary care patients at the school-based health center, reflecting a growing movement towards the integration of health services in educational institutions.
With the Ohio Department of Health's support, Nationwide Children’s opened two vision centers in 2023—one nestled within Reynoldsburg High School and the other at the Ft. Hayes Metro Education Center. The numbers speak to the project's impact: more than 1,100 vision service visits and care provided to over 1,000 unique patients, the crux being accessibility and early intervention in children's eye health.
OhioSEE, announced as part of Governor DeWine's executive budget and embraced by the Ohio Legislature, marks a step forward for Ohio's youth. The program aims to replicate Reynoldsburg's success statewide, ensuring that more students benefit from on-site vision care, a resource that tangibly diminishes the barriers between health and education.
